Joel Madden teams up with ICM for artist development

LA-based agency ICM Partners and Good Charlotte’s Joel Madden have joined forces to launch an initiative aimed at developing emerging talent and brands across the music industry.

Through the partnership, ICM also hopes to enhance the level of personal service received by established clients.

Madden, who co-founded Good Charlotte along with his twin brother in 1996, will bring new talent to the agency and offer creative support to existing ICM artists.

The Good Charlotte co-founder launched his own artist development and management company, Mddn.co, in 2015, in collaboration with his two brothers, Benji and Josh.

“We have the opportunity to create something which will be very impactful in supporting the growth of artists”

“The agents we have worked with at ICM share our passion and entrepreneurial spirit for artist representation,” says Madden. “We have the opportunity to create something very special which I believe will be very impactful in supporting the growth and success of artists.”

Rob Prinz, co-head of worldwide music at ICM Partners, says he is “excited to be in business” with Madden, whom he describes as “a uniquely gifted artist and entrepreneur”.

Prinz commends ICM agent Mike Hayes for being the “driving force” behind the company’s relationship with Madden.

ICM Partners agent Kevin Jergensen was the winner of the Tomorrow’s New Boss award at this year’s Arthur Awards, picked from IQ’s New Bosses 2018 shortlist. The New Bosses of 2019 will be announced in the upcoming IQ 85.

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The New Bosses 2018: Kelly Bennaton, DHP Family

The New Bosses 2018 – the latest edition of IQ’s annual list of future live business leaders – received a rapturous industry response following its publication in IQ 78, with friends and colleagues of the winning ten agents, promoters and other rising stars rushing to congratulate the class of 2018.

In putting together the list, 2018’s New Bosses gave IQ lengthy interviews spotlighting their careers so far, as well as insights into their working methods and tips for those hoping to follow in their footsteps. While these were (owing to the limitations of a print magazine) edited heavily, they’ll be reproduced in full online and on IQ Index over the coming weeks.

New Boss №6, DHP Family head of marketing Kelly Bennaton, has been promoting since the age of 17 under the moniker Default This Promotions. After studying English language at University of Leeds – where she achieved a 2:1, going on to secure a scholarship for a master’s in music business management at the University of Westminster – she joined the Association of Independent Music (AIM) as events and marketing coordinator.

She joined DHP as marketing and PR assistant in 2014, and was promoted to marketing coordinator in 2015 and head of marketing last year. (Read the previous New Bosses interview, with Fullsteam Agency’s Aino-Maria Paasivirta, here.)

What shows have you been involved with recently?
The great thing about working at DHP is that we work on such an eclectic mix of shows and festivals. For the latest Ed Sheeran tour we oversaw all online marketing and sold over a million tickets across 15 stadium shows; at the same time we’ll be working on extensive theatre tours for the likes of the Human League, Beth Hart and Happy Mondays while pushing exciting up-and-coming artists such as Fontaines DC, Men I Trust and Easy Life at 200-capacity venues. This summer also saw DHP sell out two Cardiff Castle shows with Pete Tong and Catfish and the Bottlemen – so it’s safe to say we do the full mix!

At our 20,000-capacity Splendour Festival we celebrated our 10th birthday with Paloma Faith headlining, and this year’s Dot to Dot Festival, which spans three cities, was our biggest yet, selling over 15,000 tickets for a bill made of up predominantly unknown acts. We also have our alt.tickets platform, which sold over 350,000 tickets last year, as well as operating eight music venues across London, Nottingham and Bristol.

Is there anyone you can name as a mentor?
Two people really stand out for me: Lara Baker and [DHP director of live] Dan Ealam. Lara gave me gave me my first proper job in music at AIM, and her tireless work on behalf of independent record labels was hugely inspiring. Today she’s a vocal advocate for diversity in the music industry and has created an amazing network of women working in music to support each other.

It’s been a great experience working with Dan at DHP. He’s entirely dedicated to and passionate about the artists he promotes. His drive has really motivated me to challenge myself and I don’t think I would be in the position I’m in now without Dan’s encouragement.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt while at DHP?
To be confident in my opinions and trust my own judgment. The live industry is full of big personalities, and for someone that is naturally introverted it can sometimes be easy to second-guess yourself.

As a New Boss, how would you improve the way the business is done?
There is still a distinct lack of women in the live industry, and it’s to its detriment. Many studies have shown that a diverse workforce yields the best results, so I’d really like to make an active contribution in changing this.

DHP are working with Music Venue Trust on their Fightback Promoter scheme to encourage young women to put on gigs for the first time, and we’ve also recently launched our own Women in Music event to address the gender imbalance.

“Be confident … for someone that is naturally introverted it can sometimes be easy to second-guess yourself”

If you had to choose one highlight from your career so far, what would it be?
This year we launched Beat the Streets Festival, a multi-venue charity event in Nottingham headlined by Sleaford Mods. We had a really short turnaround from the launch until the festival, and the whole team worked hard to create an event that would resonate with the local community and raise as much money as possible.

We managed to raise £100,000 for the charity, which went towards two new members of staff and extra beds at one of their shelters.

What hint would you give to a friend who had a very limited marketing budget for a show?
Be DIY with your approach. Spend the limited budget you have on Facebook ads and making sure your Facebook event is popular – posting in an active event is far better than posting on a page for reach. Print flyers and posters at home or cheaply online and hand them out yourself at relevant gigs. Get it listed with local magazines and event listings websites – most have a free submission form you can use.

Finally, tell all your friends about it! Word of mouth is still a great tool for getting people to shows.

What is your biggest day-to-day challenge?
Finding enough time in the day! We’re still a relatively small marketing team working on a huge quantity of concerts, tours and festivals, so it can be a challenge to manage the workload.

What do you see yourself doing in five years’ time?
Still with DHP and working on even more great shows and tours. It’s a really exciting time for the company and I can’t wait to see where the next five years take us.

What advice would you give anyone who wants to get into the live business?
Be proactive and don’t wait around for opportunities to present themselves to you. The live industry is incredibly competitive, so having experience will definitely help. Put on gigs, volunteer at festivals, become an expert on social media – anything you can do to make yourself stand out from the crowd.

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The New Bosses 2018: Aino-Maria Paasivirta, Fullsteam

The fifth New Boss, Finnish promoter Aino-Maria Paasivirta, interned at Fullsteam Agency while studying in Helsinki for a degree in cultural management. After graduating, she worked at Copenhagen venue Pumpehuset before returning to Fullsteam as assistant to founder Rauha Kyyrö.

Since then she has worked with the likes of Big Boi, José González, Franz Ferdinand, Wiz Khalifa, Jack White, Volbeat and Justin Bieber, and recently took on the role of full-time promoter. (Read the previous New Bosses interview, with UTA’s Maxim Karlik, here.)

What are you working on at the moment?
I’m lucky enough to be working with a variety of different-sized bands and venues, from a couple of hundred-capacity venues to arenas. I have been booking foreign artists to Provinssi Festival (32,000-cap.) together with Rauha the last three years.

I am also the promoter for Allas Sea Pool, a 2,500-capacity outdoor venue in downtown Helsinki.

Is there anyone that you can name as a mentor?
I don’t think I’ve ever actually called her my mentor, but I would not be where I am today without Rauha Kyyrö’s constant support. She keeps pushing me forward on many levels, and I’m lucky enough to not just call her my boss but also my friend.

I’m also grateful to be sharing my office with whom I’d call Finland’s best agents and promoters.

As a New Boss, how would you improve the way business is done?
Not as much a specific practice, but I think we would all benefit from talking about equality – and, more importantly, taking actions to improve equality within the business.

What has been the most exciting event you have been involved with in 2018?
It was wonderful to be a part of the 40th-anniversary edition of Provinssi Festival. The festival looked great, we had a wonderful line-up and it was just great to see how much the festival has evolved and that all the hard work put into the festival has paid off.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned while at Fullsteam?
I don’t think it’s possible to mention just one thing – I’ve learnt so much at Fullsteam. Having been PA to someone who works with such a variety of acts, both international and domestic, was such an eye-opening experience. For example, one of my first tasks as PA to Rauha was doing ticketing for an arena tour, for a domestic act that we represent, to which we sold 75,000 tickets. Some of the venues had never hosted concerts before, so that was quite an experience!

“When you’re willing to accept challenges, work hard and learn from your mistakes, you will be rewarded”

Also, having never done ticketing before, it wasn’t easy, but I learnt so much from it. I think when you’re willing to accept challenges, work hard and learn from your mistakes, you will be rewarded. I also think that having done a variety of different tasks has helped me understand the business better, and what it takes to put together great events.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt at Fullsteam is that when you get to work with people you can call your friends, you’ll always be ready to go that extra mile for them and they’ll be ready to do the same for you. Not to mention that being at the office is then a lot of fun.

What do you do in your spare time to relax?
I like going to shows. Sometimes when I really need to clear my head I read, go to dance class or study a language on an app. I guess it’s good to activate your brain with something that has nothing to do with your job every now and then.

What advice would you give anyone who wants to get into the live music business?
Be ready to work hard, and always try to see as many sides of the business as you can. If you have the chance to do and internship or get a job opportunity abroad, take it.

You’ll not only learn about the business, but about yourself as well.

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The New Bosses 2018: Maxim Karlik, UTA

New Boss №4, Maxim Karlik, studied commerce at Monash University, Australia, with a major in finance, before relocating to Los Angeles and landing a gig working for TV producer Marty Katz.

Through Katz’s recommendation, Karlik landed a job in the United Talent Agency mailroom and has since worked across the agency, most recently assisting CEO Jeremy Zimmer, who created a brand-new music crossover department that Karlik now helps to lead.

“In crossover,” he explains, “we work with the UTA music roster across film and television, with a focus on song placement, scoring, songwriting, on-camera opportunities and music-driven content.” (Read the previous New Bosses interview, with Paradigm’s Meryl Luzzi, here.)

How difficult a decision was it to relocate to LA from Melbourne?
I had reached a point in my life where I knew I was only going to be happy and successful if I pursued something I was really passionate about. I took a risk coming out here, but I didn’t want to go through life with any regrets.

Give us an example of some of the acts you’re working with.
I’ve had the pleasure of working with a diverse group of acts, from developing artists to arena headliners across various genres, including Muse, DJ Khaled, Dagny and X Ambassadors.

If you had to choose one highlight from your career, so far, what would it be?
Earlier this year, we connected DJ Khaled with acclaimed director Ava Duvernay, who wanted him to write and produce an original song for the end-credits of Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time. It was the first time Khaled had written a song for a film and it came out great.

What do you see yourself doing in five years’ time?
Hopefully what I’m doing now and continuing to grow our business. I’ve found a true home in UTA and I’m excited to be at forefront of something new and exciting with the music crossover department.

Who do you turn to for advice?
I was lucky enough to work as an assistant to the CEO of UTA, Jeremy Zimmer, for almost two years, and nobody’s advice is more sought after than his. Whether it was given to me directly or learned from him through osmosis, it’s become part of my repertoire in doing business.

And of course, my mother gives me her advice, whether I ask for it or not – but it’s always welcomed and appreciated.

“I’m excited to be at forefront of something new and exciting with the music crossover department”

As a New Boss, how would you improve the way business is done?
I would love for the music elements in film and TV production to be considered earlier in the creation process than they currently stand.

Obtaining music rights, especially on a budget, can be a complicated process that, if thought about too late, can lead to missed opportunities.

What advice would you give anyone who wants to get into the agency business?
Be curious and meet as many people as possible. You never know where opportunities may come from.

What is your biggest day-to-day challenge?
As we continue to grow our department, we are figuring out what works and what doesn’t. At times it’s been challenging, but it’s also part of the fun.

Where is the most exciting place your work has taken you?
Last year I was invited to the studio with Post Malone to hear some of his upcoming music. It was an amazing experience to hear something like that before it went public, and now he’s one of the biggest artists in the world.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt while at UTA?
Take risks and never be afraid to fail.

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The New Bosses 2018: Meryl Luzzi, Paradigm

Thirty-year-old Meryl Luzzi, an agent at Paradigm Talent Agency in Los Angeles, is New Boss #3.

Luzzi graduated from Ithaca College in New York with a degree in integrated marketing communications, then worked as an event producer in Boston, Massachusetts, and New York. She bought a one-way ticket to Los Angeles in 2012 “never looked back”.

In LA, Luzzi joined AM Only, which at the time had just five employees in its newly opened LA office. AM Only had just partnered with powerhouse agency Paradigm, and was later fully acquired and rebranded. “I’m incredibly grateful to have joined the company at not just a pivotal time for dance music in America, but to be a part of AM Only’s rich history,” she says. (Read the previous interview, with the MJR Group’s Mike Jones, here.)

Who are you working with at the moment?
Sofi Tukker, who recently sold out two Fondas [1,200-cap.] in Los Angeles and Brooklyn Steel [1,800-cap.] in New York, among many other dates. They’re playing Life is Beautiful, CRSSD, Austin City Limits and Voodoo festivals this fall. Their album, Treehouse, went to №1 on the iTunes dance chart, and their single ‘Best Friend’ was featured in the iPhone X commercial and climbed the dance, top40, alternative and Hot AC charts here in the States.

Anjunadeep, for which we put together a series of open-air events – all outdoor, mostly daytime parties across the country. Notable highlights were a sold-out Brooklyn Mirage [6,000-cap.] and Treasure Island [in San Francisco] in advance.

I recently signed Mac Ayres, an R&B singer from New York, who is an incredible talent and whose debut album came out on 5 September. He’ll be touring in North America in November and I can’t wait for the world to get to know him.

Who do you turn to for advice?
I am extremely fortunate to have an incredible support system in my both my biological family and also my work family. Matt Rodriguez, Paul Morris, Emma Hoser and Alan Gary are a few people who have provided me with such guidance and helped me find my voice within this business.

There are also so many women in this business that I am grateful to call not only colleagues but friends, who I can rely on and am continually inspired by and in awe of. To have their support and support them is the best thing in the world.

As a New Boss, how would you improve the way business is done?
Check your ego at the door. No one has time for it.

Be a good human being first and great at your job second.

How has the role of an agent changed since you have been in the business?
Agents are at the forefront of music discovery – they are the new A&Rs, in a way. Also, there are so many artists touring, and thus so much more competition out there, that agents must find ways to tour more strategically.

Where is the most exotic place that your work has taken you?
I went to Brazil for the first time this year and fell in love with the culture, the people and their insatiable appetite for music.

“Never lose sight of who you are, what you want and what you stand for”

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt while at Paradigm?
We get countless emails a day and it’s easier to fire across a response and move onto the next one. I’ve learned a phone call and a personal touch goes a long way.

An agent at Paradigm also once said to me, “We’re not defined by the one decision we choose to make, but we are a culmination of the decisions we choose to make each day.” And our decisions ultimately dictate our priorities, right? So wake up each day and make decisions that support what you believe in. At the end of the day, we all have to look ourselves in the mirror and be proud of the way in which we conducted our business.

What do you do in your spare time to relax?
I’m a big advocate for a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. Working out, dancing to Bruno Mars and spending time with family and friends is the best way for me to unwind. And heist movies… I watch a lot of heist movies.

What do you see yourself doing in five years’ time?
Continue working to make this industry a better place than when I first started, empower other young women coming up in this business and work with artists who continually inspire me to do better, be better and fuel my love for music.

What advice would you give anyone who wants to get into the live music business?
Be a sponge. Listen, ask questions, say ‘yes’ to every opportunity and find someone in this business who is like-minded and hold onto them. Never lose sight of who you are, what you want and what you stand for.

And if you think you don’t fit in or that you’re different from those around you, know it’s your edge and not a weakness. Use it.

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The New Bosses 2018: Mike Jones, MJR Group

Next up is 29-year-old Mike Jones, co-founder/promoter at the UK’s the MJR Group. Jones has been promoting shows since the age of 12 – primarily, he says, because his friends’ bands were terrible and nobody else would book them. Aged 14, he began promoting American and European touring acts and then ran TJ’s venue in his home town of Newport, before setting up a chain of live venues with the Intertain Group, which led to establishing MJR with fellow promoter, Rich Buck. (Read the previous interview, with ICM Partners’ Kevin Jergenson, here.)

What are you working on at the moment?
A complete mixed bag, same as always. We’ve just started to announce the outdoor Summer Series at Domain Park in Sydney, the first announce being a huge motown, disco and soul bill headlined by the Jacksons, with Kool and the Gang, Sister Sledge and lots more.

Elsewhere, we’ve got the 50 Cent UK and European tour coming up in a few weeks, which is doing fantastic business, along with some new venues opening in Birmingham, back in the UK, which I’m very excited about. As we get a bit closer to the end of the calendar year we’ll also have a variety of multi-continent and multi-year projects go live too.

Who was your industry mentor?
John Sicolo, who owned TJ’s, was a big part of my life. He unfortunately passed away a few years ago, but he’s the person who gave me my first real chance and made me believe in myself. So, aged 16, I took on the diary for a really legendary space with lots of history but lots of challenges too – there were no resources or staff, so if you wanted something done you did it yourself.

John wasn’t a promoter by any means, but I learnt a lot being around him and in the venue so often. I later found out that if you ran the diary in that venue you were also the toilet cleaner, the security and the barrel changer at the same time, so that helped to keep me grounded and instilled a hard work ethic in me, too.

As a New Boss, how would you improve the way the business is done?
I’d like to see us have a more open attitude to young, talented people who want to start a career in the industry. We should want the very brightest and best working with us, and that applies to the people working behind the scenes as much as the people up on the stage. If we aren’t willing to give them a chance they’ll just end up in finance or, worse still, politics.

If you had to choose one highlight from your career so far, what would it be?
Sia at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland was quite special – that was our first major stadium show, and it felt like a of a turning point of sorts. The fact that Auckland is the furthest possible city from where we started is strangely ironic, too. Outside of that, working with Steel Panther has been an absolute blast – we’ve all become friends and most important of all they’re a band I can share haircare tips with too. There aren’t many of those around anymore.

Where is the most exciting place your work has taken you?
All the usual spots – the Middle East is great fun, as is Australia, where I particularly love Melbourne. It’s a terrible cliché but the real excitement is about what’s going to come next, though: the world’s a small place and we plan on developing our business throughout most of it.

“If we aren’t willing to give young people a chance they’ll just end up in finance – or, worse still, politics”

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt while at MJR?
To take really good care of your team, and to empower them to get out there and try things. If they do make a mistake, that’s fine – it’s part of the learning process, and problem-solving is an important skill in this line of work, to put it mildly. It’s very easy to get caught up with conversations on new bookings and all of that exciting stuff, but day to day there’s a large group of people putting their absolute trust and faith in you, and you need to show the same back to them, too.

What advice would you give anyone who wants to get into the live music business?
Decide early on what specific sector of the industry you’d like to work in, and concentrate solely on doing your absolute best in that role. If there’s not an opening with an existing company then get out and make your own. Be prepared to work harder than anyone else, and be prepared to make sacrifices in your personal life, too.

A lot of young people coming through try to be all-rounders, which will get you up to a point – but really we’re an industry of specialists and the sooner you figure out what you’re going to specialise in, the better.

MJR is a very ambitious company. Are there any sectors of territories you’re targeting to help with company growth?
We’re moving into live comedy in a big way now. Some of our existing comedy acts are already doing 10,000 tickets in London, but it’s a genre that we’ll be doing a lot more with in the future.

We’re also doing more and more live touring projects with IPs in the worlds of movies, TV, video games, podcasts, etc., too. Geographically we already have shows on sale in most parts of the world, but, again, that’ll increase quite dramatically going into 2019 and beyond. Eastern Europe, Asia, and South Africa in particular are going to become really important for us. We won’t expand for the sake of it, but if something comes in and makes sense then we’ll commit and make it happen.

What do you do in your spare time to relax?
Spend time with my beautiful children, Rafael and Santiago, who I love very much and drive me to do my absolute best in life.

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The New Bosses 2018: Kevin Jergenson

First up is 29-year-old Kevin Jergenson, an agent with ICM Partners in Los Angeles. A native of Los Angeles, Jergenson graduated from the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s degree in business management. During his studies, he was accepted into ICM’s summer internship programme. Interning for now-mentor, Scott Mantell, became a full-time job, which led to Jergenson being promoted to co-ordinator, and then agent in 2016.

What are you working on at the moment?
I am currently routing tours for artists such as HER, $uicideboy$, Kamasi Washington, Gus Dapperton, Blackbear, Roy Wood$ and Masego. HER will be playing 1,500- to 5,000-cap. rooms across Europe, including two Hammersmith Apollos in London. $uicideboy$ will be playing 1,500- to 4,000-cap. rooms across Europe, 2,000-cap. rooms in Australia, and 750- to 1,500-cap. rooms in Asia, and they just finished a run of European festivals which includes plays at Blockfest, Pukkelpop, Lowlands, Hip Hop Kemp, Reading and Leeds Festival and Hype Festival.

Kamasi just wrapped up a European festival run which included shows at Wilderness, Beat Yard, Haven, Way Out West and Flow, before heading to Asia to do a hard-ticket run and Summer Sonic. Gus Dapperton will be coming back to Europe this spring to do a headline run in 300- to 1,000-cap. rooms. This summer he played on such festivals as Great Escape, Dot to Dot, We Love Green, Le Magnifique Society, This is Not a Love Song, Best Kept Secret and Body and Soul. Blackbear and Roy Wood$ will be going into 1,000- to 5,000-cap. rooms across Europe, and Masego will be playing four festivals in Asia next year including several hard-ticket shows in the market.

What has been the most exciting event you have been involved with in 2018?
Having HER sell 5,000 tickets in London her first time in the market without an official album out was incredibly exciting to see and be involved with.

What advice would you give anyone who wants to get into the live music business?
I would let them know that this business is a true grind, and that nothing comes easy. It takes a lot of time and effort to build a quality business for yourself, and that you should always be eager to keep learning. I learn a lot from my colleagues on a daily basis, which in turn only helps my business and my clients.

“Representing an artist properly takes a village”

Where is the most exotic place that your work has taken you?
This summer I covered Haven festival in Copenhagen and Lowlands in the Netherlands.

What’s the biggest lesson that you’ve learned while at ICM?
Representing an artist properly takes a village. As a full-service agency, our clients are not only looking to be represented for touring, but also film and television, branding, digital, etc. I am extremely fortunate to work with some amazing colleagues who really help us touring agents surround our clients in all areas of the business.

What do you do in your spare time to relax?
Believe it or not, I still truly love going to concerts and music festivals. Spending time at these events with friends, and not having to think too much about work, is still a great escape for me. Outside of that, I am never one to pass up on a good meal and wine with great friends.

What do you see yourself doing in five years’ time?
I see myself still being an international touring agent at ICM Partners.

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Introducing… the New Bosses 2018

IQ’s New Bosses 2018 goes live today, with agents dominating the winners shortlist – no fewer than six bookers make our annual top ten.

The New Bosses scheme is now in its 11^th year and relies on IQ readers and ILMC’s members to nominate those individuals, aged 30 and under, whom they believe are helping to shape the future of the live music industry. And it would seem you are good judges of character, as looking back across the New Bosses over the previous ten years, many of our named winners have indeed gone on to become leaders in their chosen fields.

So, congratulations go to this year’s cream of the crop: Bradlee Banbury (Creative Artists Agency), Kelly Bennaton (DHP Family), Leo Benton (K2 Agency), Tom Bownes (Live Nation), Erin Coleman (Paper and Iron Booking), Kevin Jergenson (ICM Partners), Michael Jones (The MJR Group), Maxim Karlik (United Talent Agency), Meryl Luzzi (Paradigm Talent Agency) and Aino-Maria Paasivirta (Fullsteam Agency).

“I remember pitching for an act and the agent subtly mentioned I had won the award, to the artist and manager; they were so impressed, I am now their national promoter.”

IQ’s New Bosses will be automatically shortlisted for the Tomorrow’s New Boss Award at the Arthur Awards in March 2019 – voting for which will open in mid-November. Last year’s winner, Anna-Sophie Mertens from Live Nation UK, comments, “Nothing beats being able to call yourself Tomorrow’s New Boss! The best part is your colleagues and business partners never fail to highlight the title, whether to celebrate or to mock you.

“I remember pitching for an act and the agent subtly mentioned I had won the award, to the artist and manager; they were so impressed, I am now their national promoter. Congratulations to this year’s New Bosses.”

To find out more about this year’s winners, click here to read our New Bosses 2018 feature.

Our winners also gave IQ lengthier insights into their careers and working methods, the full versions of which will be posted here on the IQ website over the coming weeks, so be sure to check the website regularly to find out more about Aino-Maria, Bradlee, Erin, Kelly, Kevin, Leo, Maxim, Meryl, Michael and Tom.

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The New Bosses 2018: Call for nominations

Nominations are open for the New Bosses 2018, the latest edition IQ’s annual list of ten future music industry leaders, as decided by their peers.

Anyone working in the music industry, anywhere in the world, is eligible, provided they are aged 30 or under and they have not featured in our New Bosses list before.

Ideally, we’re looking for those who are making a difference – the young players already changing and shaping the industry.

If you know someone who deserves recognition, please help to make their year and let us know. The process remains strictly anonymous, and the deadline for sending in your nominations is Friday 27 July.

We’re looking for those who are making a difference – the young players already changing and shaping the industry

We’ll be publishing a profile on each of the ten most nominated rising stars in the next issue of IQ, and this will also form the nominations for the Tomorrow’s New Boss award at ILMC in March 2019.

To nominate someone you know to become one of the New Bosses, email [email protected] and tell us their name and where they work.

Click here for a recap of the New Bosses 2017, in three parts (parts two and three can be found in ‘more news’, at the bottom of the story). New Boss Anna-Sophie Mertens, a promoter at Live Nation UK, won the Tomorrow’s New Boss award at ILMC 30.

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Joel Madden teams up with ICM for artist development

The New Bosses 2018: Kelly Bennaton, DHP Family

The New Bosses 2018: Aino-Maria Paasivirta, Fullsteam

The New Bosses 2018: Maxim Karlik, UTA

The New Bosses 2018: Meryl Luzzi, Paradigm

The New Bosses 2018: Mike Jones, MJR Group

The New Bosses 2018: Kevin Jergenson

Introducing… the New Bosses 2018

The New Bosses 2018: Call for nominations